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Julie Loria

Arepas define Venezuelan cooking. These thick cornmeal patties are griddled, then baked, and then stuffed while warm with anything from white cheese to this zesty chicken salad with avocado mayonnaise (Johan Santanas first choice). The salad is named in honor of Susana Duijm, Miss World in 1955 and a popular Venezuelan celebrity. (Reina means "queen" in Spanish, and pepiada is perhaps most politely translated as "curvy.") The recipe comes from Maribel Araujo of New York's always-packed Caracas Arepa Bar in the East Village and her executive chef, Ilse Parra.

This is Josh Hamilton's favorite sandwich to eat with his family, especially when he comes home after a game. Katie must like making it, too, because it is a classic slow-cooker recipe that needs very little attention. The payoff is meltingly tender pork in a sweet sauce. To round out the meal Southern-style, serve the sandwiches with coleslaw, baked beans, or fries.

It is a salad, but cobb salad was never meant to be a healthful or low-fat dish. Because Ryan Howard is a conscientious eater, however, this version is a lighter version that still packs some punch from the familiar flavors of the original. Use reduced-fat blue cheese and turkey bacon, serve the dressing on the side, and dig into this classic mega-salad.

There aren't many dishes more satisfying than a sizzling steak with a full complement of savory side dishes. Alex Rodriguez likes his sides tasty and free of unnecessary fat and calories. This slow-cooked confit (a French culinary term referring to an ingredient slowly cooked in its own juices) fits the bill, and leftovers can be refrigerated for the next day. Add some steamed spinach and oven-roasted sweet potatoes as a well-balanced complement to the steaks, and you've got a dinner that knocks it out of the park.